High blood levels of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) during pregnancy may interfere with glucose and lipid metabolism. The researchers discovered that PFAS concentrations in plasma were associated with impaired glucose tolerance, gestational diabetes, cholesterol levels or slight decreases in triglyceride levels.

"To our knowledge, this is the largest study of associations between PFAS exposure and multiple metabolic outcomes in pregnant women", states Martine Vrijheid, ISGlobal researcher. 1,240 pregnant women from the INMA (Environment & Childhood) birth cohorts in Sabadell, Valencia and Guipuzkoa were analysed.

PFASs have been used in many applications since the 1950s, including industrial appliances and consumer products. They have been widely used to make products more stain-resistant, waterproof and/or nonstick. These substances accumulate in the food chain and in animal and human tissues, and persist in the environment and living organisms for years. The routes of human exposure to PFASs include diet, migration from packaged foods, drinking water and inhalation of indoor dust. // RF-PRBB